Saving Fido

If you are looking for a dog to join your life, consider All 4 The Dogs Rescue, which saves abandoned, adoptable dogs with the hopes that a loving family will adopt them. Formed in 2009, the central New Jersey nonprofit dog rescue organization is dedicated to saving the lives of unwanted, abandoned and abused animals. It strives to improve each animal’s quality of life and educate the public about the overpopulation of animals in the world. All 4 The Dogs Rescue’s goal is to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home these furry friends. While the organization realizes it’s impossible to save every animal in need, All 4 The Dogs puts a huge effort in trying.

From 2009 through 2011, All 4 The Dogs Rescue placed more than 300 dogs in loving forever homes. The organization works with high-kill shelters in Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina and New Jersey. When foster homes are available, owner-surrendered animals from the public are accepted. The rescued dogs are transported with health certificates by volunteers from the mostly southern shelters to a rescue shelter and then to forever homes.

Once in foster care, the dogs begin to trust the volunteers. The team showers the canines with love and affection, which most of the dogs have never received. Volunteers also work with the dogs on basic training, house training, crate training and leash training. All of the rescue dogs go home completely up to date with vaccinations. They are heartworm-tested and spayed or neutered before 6 months of age. Some dogs need surgery, medication or heartworm treatment.

Because All 4 The Dogs Rescue doesn’t have a shelter facility or boarding kennel, it occasionally has to turn needy dogs away if no foster home is available. When funds run low, fundraisers are held in order to cover the costs of high veterinary bills and supplies.

The process of adopting a rescue dog from the organization starts with an application. Once your application is approved, a visit is scheduled. If all goes well, the final adoption papers are completed. The adoption process allows the organization to match your family with a particular dog that suits your lifestyle and home. All 4 The Dogs Rescue strives to make the best possible matches for the rescue dogs and adopting families. Adopters are asked to give the new family member some time to settle in and adjust to all the changes.

The nonprofit has goals and plans for the future, and hopes that with the public’s support it can continue saving dogs’ lives. Soon a sponsorship program will be offered that allows families unable to adopt to foster animals until forever homes are found. Additionally in the works is a yearly newsletter with pictures and photos to keep the organization’s many supporters informed. The major goal is to find property with land to permit All 4 The Dogs Rescue to expand its efforts and help many more animals in need.

After years of abuse and neglect, the rescued animals still manage to love and respect humans as if the canines have never endured negative treatment. The dogs live in the moment, not in the past. Saving one dog won’t change the world, but surely the world will change for that one dog.

If you would like to volunteer or learn more, log onto http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/NJ568.html. To help rescue efforts, send donations to All 4 The Dogs Rescue, P.O. Box 204, Roosevelt, New Jersey, 08555.

About the author Starr Bowker

Starr Bowker is the president of All 4 The Dogs Rescue. She is the mother of daughter Sierra, 13, and has been married for nine years to her husband Michael Bowker. They currently reside in Roosevelt, New Jersey, which is a small town of less than 900 people.